1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hole saws and more specifically to a hole saw having efficient slug removal, which allows a slug to be removed from the hole saw without the use of additional tools.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The most common type of hole saw is a cup with teeth formed on an open end, a shank attached to the other end of the cup, and a drill retained in the shank. The drill starts the hole cutting process by providing a pivotal anchor for cutting the hole with the cup. However, an aggravating problem encountered with hole saws is the removal of a hole slug from the cup. Depending upon the material of the hole slug, removal of the slug can be a major challenge. If the material is plastic, the plastic hole slug will heat bond to the inside surface of the cup. There are numerous solutions proposed for removal of the hole slug. The simplest method of slug removal is to form openings in the top and/or side of the hole saw to allow the slug to be pushed or pried out with a tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,685 to Herbert discloses a hole saw. The hole saw includes an annular ring surrounding a body of the hole saw. The annular ring includes a teflon coating. However, neither the cylindrical body of the hole saw or the cutting teeth are coated with teflon. U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,831 to Davis discloses an I-joist hole cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes a ring and a chord. The outer surface of the ring is treated with a low friction material, such as teflon. However, the groove cutting member is not coated with teflon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,646 to Banke et al. discloses a hole saw with wood removal. The Banke et al. patent includes a cylindrical hole saw having an angular slot formed therein extending from an open end to a position beneath the planar upper end.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a hole saw having efficient slug removal, which includes a saw cup with a substantial portion of a side wall removed to decrease frictional engagement with the hole created and a slug generated by the saw cup.